New politeness campaign at American cafes: Get 50% off just by saying “please” and “thank you”!

▲ CUPS Coffee & Tea’s politeness campaign (Photo / CUPS Coffee & Tea Facebook page)

By Rita

The rise in tourism has led to more interactions between people from different countries, but we’ve also found that even though travel boosts economic growth, intercultural communication still requires a lot of effort. Some rude customers are universal—and one American cafe has come up with a clever solution to deal with them.

According to the UK’s Daily Mail, a cafe in Virginia, CUPS Coffee & Tea, had enough of impolite customers, so they introduced a discount strategy for those who say “please” and “thank you.” Follow their politeness request, and you can get your drink at half price.

Just saying “small coffee” costs 140 TWD; “Please give me a small coffee” costs 110 TWD; and “Hello, please give me a small coffee” costs just 65 TWD. The price difference is double.

This marketing strategy, which is somewhat humorous yet educational, seems to be effective. Not only in the U.S., but cafes in France have done the same—and shop owners say customer behavior has really changed as a result.

CUPS Coffee & Tea Cafe
Address: 1402 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke, Virginia 24015